It's safe to say the fast-food world would not exist without the hamburger. It all began back with old Ray Kroc and his quick-serve concepts that grew into the McDonald's empire.

We Americans love our burgers. Every day, whether scarfed out of a bag, eaten in a restaurant or (mostly on weekends) grilled at home, the hamburger is a staple. And, in this economy, it's also one of the cheapest ways to feed a crowd.

You have to factor quality into your price equation, though, if you're going to be honest about the transaction. Yes, the burger off the 99-cent menu might be wallet-friendly, but it's not likely to delight your tastebuds or keep you satisfied for any great length of time. Maybe you go for the impressive-sounding "Quarter-Pounder." If I described it as two 2-ounce meat patties, would it seem as hearty?

On the flipside, the $12 "monster" burger at your local bar will fill your stomach for a whole day, but it'll lighten your cash load simultaneously.

Burgers at casual dining joints like Applebee's or Chili's would seem to fit the middle ground pretty effectively. They cost less than the monster burger, fill you up and come with a fairly creative array of toppings.

However, if you're willing to do a tiny bit of the work yourself, you can make your own "gourmet" burgers at home and save a good bit of change in the process.

For starters, grind your own beef. No, you don't need a meat grinder! Buy equal portions of chuck and sirloin, cut them in small chunks and then let your food processor do the work. Just three or four pulses should produce a good burger grind. Note: This also works really well to make chili meat, just pulse twice.

Flavor the meat any way you'd like. If you've got kids in the party, you might want to leave the seasoning out, but a little granulated garlic, minced onion or other add-ins never hurt anyone. When it comes to toppings, you don't have to break the bank to get great flavor. Go to the deli counter at your grocery store and get just a few slices of really good cheddar or your favorite cheese. Hit the butcher counter and get a few slices of the thick-cut bacon they sell in the display case.

A lot of upscale burger joints use their exotic-sounding buns as selling points. In my opinion, the bun should not try to outshine the burger, but if you insist on something beyond a sesame-seed bun, your grocery store's bakery department is bound to have something that will fit the bill.

If you're the type who likes salad on your burger, grab a bunch of leaf lettuce, an onion and a tomato or two and you're set.

Rainy, cold day outside? Not to worry. A hot cast-iron skillet makes a fantastic burger grill. Just make sure it's properly seasoned!

The good news here? Not only will you get to have your burger exactly the way you want it, but you'll feed a family of four for less than half what you'd pay at a casual dining restaurant.

So, to get down to brass tacks:

Fast-food burger:
Cost: Less than $5
Quality: Mediocre
Effort: Minimal, especially if you use the drive-through

Casual-dining burger:
Cost: $6-$10
Quality: Mediocre to excellent
Effort: Moderate

Make-at-home "gourmet" burger:
Cost: Less than $5, even with high-end ingredients
Quality: Excellent
Effort: Moderate to high, depending on your recipe

Of course the drive-through burger won't go away, we all need that quick fix now and again. And we'll all end up at a Chili's or Applebee's occasionally. But if you want the highest quality for the best price, make it at home!